Rollin' Across to Rock Hall

Almost due east of us, near the mouth of the Chester River is the town of Rock Hall. Rock Hall claims to be the "Pearl of the Chesapeake," and touts it's unspoiled fishing village image as unique to the region. We finished our yard work Saturday and decided to cruise the 10 miles to see if it lived up to it's reputation. The trip across was beautiful. The water was smooth as glass. We kept the RPMs low so we could talk and enjoy the scenery. When we arrived we found the advertised commercial fishing fleet, but it was surrounded by a few hundred sailboats and cruisers. With new condos lining the harbor, it seems the pearl of the Chesapeake has been discovered. That's a little surprising because, by road, Rock Hall is a long way from anywhere.

We docked the boat at a very inviting waterfront bar/restaurant called Waterman's. After ordering drinks, we quizzed the bar maid about the town. She told us to walk up the street a "good little hike" to find the town center of Rock Hall. On the way we passed a historical marker proclaiming the founding of the town in 1706 and the many visits by George Washington and other founding fathers. The town itself was pretty much closed up even though it was barely after 5:00 PM. We were the only window-shoppers on the street. Dianne shot a picture of my reflecton in a t-shirt shop window. I would've bought that t-shirt, but I'll settle for the unique photo! We crashed a party on the porch of the one place in town that was open, an antique shop off the main drag. My favorite thing about Rock Hall is the giant rockfish painted on the water tower. I'm not sure the town is named after the fish, but it's fitting given the proximity to some of the best fishing in the Bay. We walked back to Waterman's for a delicious seafood dinner, then tried to race a storm back across the Bay. We didn't make it and got soaked. The high waves ripped the transducer off my fish finder, but we docked the boat before the worst of the lightning started. I hope we'll find time to explore Rock Hall when more of the shops are open.